Manufacture of steel



STATS ATENT FFTQE.

ALBERT H. HENDERSON, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

MANUFACTURE OF STEEL.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. HENDER- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Steel, of which the following is a specification.

This invention, which has reference to a process of refining and cleansing and improving the quality of steel, .in no wise interferes with .any regular and approved formulae employed in the manufacture of steel, and may be used in connection with known modes of making it. from pig and other metal, as by the basic open hearth, the acid open hearth, or the Bessemer process, or by what is known as the duplex or the triplex method involving joint uses of such modes.

Certain features of the present invention are described in my copending application Serial No. 256,591, filed October 2, 1918.

The main or characteristic features of my invention as herein set forth relate, first, to the production of a molten metal cleansed and purified from deleterious matter such as phosphorus, sulfur, etc., the gases from such substances being liberated and allowed to escape; and, secondly, to a treatment in a ladle or the like of a selected body of such cleansed, purified and molten metal, whether produced under either of the methods or combined methods above mentioned, whereby are effected certain elemental changes in the metal drawn to the ladle, adapting the metal poured therefrom for the molding of ingots or other castings free from piping, blow holes and the like, and having great tenacity, bending qualities, and ultimate strength, fitting it for forging, rolling, machining, etc. The steel produced under my invention is well qualified for resistance of severe strains and shocks, as inthe impact of projectiles, or under conditions to which railroad rails are exposed.

My invention, broadly considered, consists, first, in a treatment of the charge at any appropriate time previous to or after it has reached the molten state, and before the tapping, for purifying it from deleterious matter, and secondly, a treatment of the molten metal, after the tapping, whereby it is given certain elemental changes adapting the metal for the act of molding.

Referring first to the treatment of the charge, which may be effected at any appro- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18, lldllh Application filed February 18,1919. Serial No. 277,749.

priate selected time, as above mentioned, and under either a single or a complex system, I add to each ton of metal about fifteen pounds of chlorid of lime (calcium oxychlorid which on being heated readily gives off chlorin) for the purpose of cleansing the metal. This substance is virtually that lmown to the trade as bleaching powder. Preferably with the chlorid of lime may be mixed, separately or together, anhydrous aluminum oxid and anhydrous borax, each in the proportion of two pounds, more or less, per ton of metal. Such addition to the charge, under the duplex system, may be delivered to the metal during "treatment. in

either branch of such duplex system, or

divided between the two as preferred.

The effect of the use of anhydrous aluminum oxid and anhydrous borax with chlorid of lime is to more thoroughly cleanse the metal from oxidation or other injurious characteristics, and to lessen or suppress the generation of prejudicial gases whereby the product when poured to the ladle shall possess great solidity, or in other Words, run in a solid or homogeneous body of molten metal.

The chlorid of lime, the anhydrous aluminum oxid and the anhydrous-borax may be inclosed together in one package," or either placed in a package separate from the other. Whether mixed or used apart, the ingredients are packed, by preference, in a readily combustlble envelop consisting of a pasteboard holder placed in a box of extra dry wood free from rosins or other substances. This box may be lined with heavy paper. The ingredients, however, if preferred, may be formed or com ressed into briquets. The box or briquet w en thrown at any suitable time into the metal will.

readily liberate its contents into the body thereof.

It is known that chlorid. of lime is a cleanser for many purposes; and also that as above mentioned, that is to say, the fusing having been accomplished, Inow pour the molten metal, elementally changed by the initial process described, into a ladle, and while it is therein add thereto the required proportion of lead, preferably in ingots, say about six pounds, more or less, together with about one or two pounds of zinc, to one ton' of metal. The zinc, however, may be omitted and the lead used alone.

The successful results seem to arise from the introduction of the lead or the lead and zinc to the ladle before or afterthe filling Y or partial filling thereof, or at any time before the metal is the mold.

It is found that but little if any slag remains in the bottom ofthe ladle after the pouring into the ingot mold or the casting pattern. I

It has been demonstrated that under my treatment the cavities, recesses 0r piping at the head of an ingot average but three and one half inches. Practically a solid ingot is a into ingots or castings, adding to the charge during the fusing chlorid of lime in the pro produced of uniform cross sectional area, the piping being eliminated or reduced to the minimum. I do not wish to commit myself to any theory in explanation of this fact.

The proportions of ingredients used may be varied in view of the diversified classes of iron, as pig, scrap, steel and iron castings,

etc.-, constituting the charge, my process al-' portion of aboutfifteen pounds to ,each ton poured from the ladle into of metal, and anhydrous aluminum oxid and anhydrous borax each in the proportion of about two pounds per ton of metal.

3. In the production of steel for molding into ingots or castings, adding to the charge during the fusing chlorid of lime in the proportion of about fifteen pounds to each ton of metal, and thereafteradding to a selected body of such fused metal while in a ladle about six pounds of lead to one ton of metal. 4. In the production of steel for molding into ingots or castings, adding to the charge during the fusing chlorid of lime in the proportion of about fifteen pounds to each ton of metal, and thereafter adding to a selected body of such fused metal while in a ladle about six pounds of lead together with approximately one to two pounds of zinc to one ton of metal.

5. In the production of steel for molding into ingots or castings, adding to the charge during the fusing chlorid of lime in the proportion of about fifteen pounds to each ton of metal, and anhydrous aluminum oxid and anhydrous-borax each in the proportion of about two pounds per ton of metal, and thereafter adding to a selected body of such fused metal while in a ladle about six pounds of lead to one ton of metal.

6. In the production of steel for molding into ingots or castings, adding to the charge during the fusing chlorid of lime in the proportion of about fifteen pounds to each ton of metal, and anhydrous aluminum oXid and anhydrous borax each in the proportion of about two pounds per ton of metal, and thereafter adding to' a selected body of such fused metal while in the ladle about six pounds of lead, and one to two pounds of zinc, to each ton of metal.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALBERT H. HENDERSON. 

